Analysis of sand and dust storm activity in Central Asia for the period 2019-2023: Detection and analysis using an...

This study examines sand and dust storm (SDS) activity in Central Asia from 2019 to 2023, utilizing PM_2.5 data from Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 (MERRA-2), and the Ultraviolet Aerosol Index (UVAI) from the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite instrument on board the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite. Seasonal and spatial patterns of PM_2.5 and UVAI were analyzed, revealing both similarities and differences between datasets. Methods for detecting SDS events based on these datasets were developed and validated with control data from Uzbekistan. Monitoring stations located in the lower reaches the Amu Darya River reported low SDS activity, but areas such as Karshi, Bukhara, and Termez showed significantly higher activity (about 50-70 SDS events per year). In general, seven key regions with frequent SDS events were identified, though their sparse populations limit the impact on human health. Validation with ground-based AirNow data from Ashgabat, Dushanbe, and Tashkent showed distinct pollution patterns, with Dushanbe experiencing the highest levels of SDS activity. The meteorological parameters during the SDS formation and passage in the analyzed region were identified, with typical events involving a westward wind (∼270°), a wind speed of 6 m/s, and temperatures around 30 °C. Under these conditions, UVAI reached 2.25, and PM_2.5 levels increased to 75 μg/m³. The integrated use of reanalysis and satellite data highlighted the strengths and limitations of each dataset. CAMS and TROPOMI data offered better consistency in identifying SDS patterns than MERRA-2, which tended to overestimate PM_2.5 concentrations in winter. While TROPOMI and MERRA-2 show better reliability for detecting SDS for selected settlements. This comprehensive analysis enhances our understanding of the natural factors driving dust pollution in Central Asia and provides insights for developing effective air quality strategies to mitigate its environmental and health impacts.